This photo, of Chinese men Da Wen and Xiao Qiang (not their real names) getting married over the weekend in what was billed as Beijing’s first gay (but not lesbian) marriage, has activist Xiao Dong — who officiated the ceremony — saying he’s going to sue the Beijing Times reporter who photographed the couple despite their refusing to be put on camera. Already he’s sent off a letter to the newspaper, insisted the pictures be removed, issue an apology, and fire the reporter. At the ceremony, where the men brandished faux marriage certificates, Xiao said the men “set a model among gay couples, to encourage more gays to have a stable relationship, which not only benefit themselves but also the whole society.”

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2 Comments

Sid

To clarify what the post’s author should have, it was not a legally recognized marriage. That makes it no less real in my mind, but it’s worth noting in a news story for the policy and social implications.

January 26, 2011 at 1:01pm

divkid

@Sid: “[i]t’s worth noting in a news story for the policy and social implications”

indeed. i think what happens in china (and india) on gay rights will determine its course for the world in the coming decades (or centuries) .

Particularly with regard to africa, even now a more favourable noise fom china apropos lgbt issues could exert a considerable force on a continent that they are incrementally for all practical purposes beginning to own.